


Stay With Me

by AudreyRose



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-29
Updated: 2013-01-29
Packaged: 2017-11-27 09:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/660400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AudreyRose/pseuds/AudreyRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Stay with me, Merry?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

Merry paced back and forth, worry choking him. The doctor had told him Pippin needed rest. That's the only thing that could help him now. They'd both seen so much. Both nearly died so many times, been separated and reunited. Gone to war even.

But now there was something slowly eating away at his little Pip. Something that he couldn't help him with. Merry felt Pippin's sickness wearing them both down. Merry felt a hand clasp his shoulder and he started. He was met with tired blue eyes and brown curls.

"Merry, stop, you'll wear a hole in the floor," Frodo spoke quietly and Merry nodded slightly. "You're doing him no good, wearing yourself out like this." Frodo's blue eyes, older than his years were full with fear for his youngest cousin.

"I can't help it, Frodo, he's wasting away before my eyes and I-" his voice faltered, tears threatening to spill from his grey blue eyes. "I can't do anything to help him," his voice cracked and he buried his face in Frodo's vest. The dark haired hobbit held his sobbing cousin, his eyes straying towards the room where Pippin lay sleeping.

"He's a fighter, Merry, he'll pull through," Frodo whispered into Merry's dark golden curls, but not quite believing his words himself. Merry shook his head, pulling back with a start.

"I see it in his eyes, Frodo, he's tired, and-and-and.." he broke off into another sob startling Frodo visibly.

"Hush your mouth Meriadoc Brandybuck, don't say-"

"It terrifies me Frodo! It's all I can do not to collapse with grief and terror and-" he fell silent and shook his head, looking down. "I love him more than life Frodo, this you already know." Merry's voice was little more than a whisper but his older cousin heard it clearly.

"Merry," he started only to be cut off.

"I don't know what I'd do, I..." he bit his lip, glancing at the door. A sigh passed his lips and Frodo embraced him, not letting go.

"Be calm, dear cousin, if not for my sake or yours but for his." Merry felt eyes on his back and he looked behind them with wide startled eyes.

"Pip! Why are you out of bed?"

Pippin's small frame leaned on the frame of the door. Merry's eyes took him in and he felt another pang of fear for his dear one. Pippin looked utterly defeated. His normally sparkling green eyes dull and tired.

He was so thin now. He wouldn't even touch half of his food nowadays. He'd lost all his normal color was even paler than fair Frodo.

"You weren't there when I woke up," he sounded small, and he was reminded of them as children. Pippin, terrified of storms and the dark would always find him and climb into bed with him. His voice quiet and small just as it was now.

Meek.

Which was never a word to describe the Took. Merry was at his side in a heart beat, his arms around the shaking Pippin.

"I'm right here, Pip, let's get you back in bed, okay luv?" Merry was terrified, Pippin could tell, even if the other tried to hide it.

"I'm tired, Merry," he saw both his older cousins flinch, he raised his eyes to Merry's.

"Then sleep, Pip-"

"Stop, please stop, Merry, you too, Frodo, I know, I know I'm dying." Merry just closed his eyes, Frodo stood silently in shock near the door. "Please don't tip toe around me, it's driving me mad," the copper haired hobbit pleaded with his two kinsmen, voice cracking.

Merry looked at Pippin, tears rolling silently down his cheeks.

"Dearest Merry, please don't cry on behalf of me, it's breaking my heart into pieces." Merry heard the door close and he knew Frodo had given him time with Pippin alone.

"I can't help it, Pip, you know I can't," his voice a hoarse whisper. Pippin drew him into his arms, humming quietly stroking and rocking Merry til he fell silent. Pippin may have been younger, but he took just as much care of Merry as Merry did him.

But knowing he was the reason Merry was so inconsolable truly broke his heart.

"Who would have thought I would go like this? After all we've been through, this?" Pippin tilted Merry's face up.

"Luv, don't say that," Merry whispered as Pippin's lips brushed his forehead.

"It doesn't bother me, Merry, I'm content with this."

"I can't live without you."

"Shush, dear heart, yes you can, you must help Sam watch our dear, dear Frodo." Merry shook his head, burying his face in Pippin's nightshirt.

"Cannot bear a day without knowing I'll never see your face, your smile, hear your voice, your laugh, I-"

"Dearest, you must, you will see me again."

Merry sniffled and looked into those deep green eyes. Tired, but there was a fierceness burning just below the surface. Merry couldn't speak and instead nodded. Pippin smiled tiredly and relaxed back into the bed, pulling Merry along with him.

"Dearest Pippin, I love you with my entire being," he whispered quietly.  
Pippin smiled and sighed contently.

"And I love you even more, dearest Merry." For once the Brandybuck didn't argue with the younger Took. Pippin smiled and yawned, his eyes drooping with tiredness.

"Stay with me, Merry?" The golden haired hobbit nodded, shifting so Pippin lay with his head upon his chest.

"I'll always stay with you, my sweet Pip," he breathed into the others copper curls, as he drifted to sleep.

 

Hours later Frodo entered the room again. The scene broke his heart. Merry holding Pippin's tiny frame. His face in the others curls. Pippin looked utterly at a peace Frodo hadn't seen in ages.

Merry looked up, tears streaming down his cheeks. Frodo felt tears sting his own eyes, his throat tightening.

"He's gone, he's left us," the pain in Merry's quiet whisper brought Frodo to his knees.

"He's gone."


End file.
